Inset turret assemblies for aircraft

Abstract

A nose assembly of an aircraft includes a nose airframe having a nonhorizontal mounting surface and a turret assembly mounted on the nonhorizontal mounting surface. The turret assembly includes a turret device housing rotatable relative to the nonhorizontal mounting surface. The nose airframe includes a nose skin forming a nose fairing having an apex aperture. The nose skin at least partially covers the turret assembly such that the turret assembly is at least partially inset in the apex aperture of the nose fairing.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A nose assembly of a manned helicopter comprising:
 a nose airframe including a nonhorizontal mounting surface; and 
 a turret assembly mounted on the nonhorizontal mounting surface, the turret assembly including a turret device housing rotatable relative to the nonhorizontal mounting surface; 
 wherein, the nose airframe further comprises a nose skin forming a nose fairing having an apex aperture, the nose skin at least partially covering the turret assembly such that the turret assembly is at least partially inset in the apex aperture of the nose fairing; and 
 wherein, the turret device housing is rotatable about a longitudinal axis parallel to a forward flight direction of the manned helicopter and extending through the apex aperture of the nose fairing. 
 
     
     
       2. The nose assembly as recited in  claim 1  wherein the nonhorizontal mounting surface further comprises a vertical mounting surface. 
     
     
       3. The nose assembly as recited in  claim 1  wherein the nonhorizontal mounting surface is disposed inside the nose fairing. 
     
     
       4. The nose assembly as recited in  claim 1  wherein the turret assembly protrudes from the nonhorizontal mounting surface in a forward direction. 
     
     
       5. The nose assembly as recited in  claim 1  wherein the turret device housing further comprises a gimballing turret device housing rotatable about at least two axes. 
     
     
       6. The nose assembly as recited in  claim 1  wherein the turret assembly further comprises a turret mount coupling the turret device housing to the nonhorizontal mounting surface. 
     
     
       7. The nose assembly as recited in  claim 6  wherein the turret mount further comprises a base and a forked housing mount, the base disposed inside the nose fairing. 
     
     
       8. The nose assembly as recited in  claim 7  wherein the forked housing mount is rotatable about the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
       9. The nose assembly as recited in  claim 7  wherein the turret device housing is rotatably coupled to the forked housing mount about a lateral axis perpendicular to the forward flight direction of the manned helicopter. 
     
     
       10. The nose assembly as recited in  claim 7  wherein the forked housing mount protrudes from the nose fairing through the apex aperture. 
     
     
       11. The nose assembly as recited in  claim 1  wherein the turret device housing further comprises a turret sensor housing including one or more sensors. 
     
     
       12. The nose assembly as recited in  claim 11  wherein the one or more sensors further comprise an integrated sensor suite. 
     
     
       13. The nose assembly as recited in  claim 1  wherein the turret device housing further comprises a turret weapon housing including a weapon. 
     
     
       14. The nose assembly as recited in  claim 1  wherein the turret device housing is substantially spherical to form a turret ball. 
     
     
       15. A manned helicopter comprising:
 a fuselage including a nose assembly, the nose assembly comprising: 
 a nose airframe including a nonhorizontal mounting surface; and 
 a turret assembly mounted on the nonhorizontal mounting surface, the turret assembly including a turret device housing rotatable relative to the nonhorizontal mounting surface; 
 wherein, the nose airframe further comprises a nose skin forming a nose fairing having an apex aperture, the nose skin at least partially covering the turret assembly such that the turret assembly is at least partially inset in the apex aperture of the nose fairing; and 
 wherein, the turret device housing is rotatable about a longitudinal axis parallel to a forward flight direction of the manned helicopter and extending through the apex aperture of the nose fairing. 
 
     
     
       16. The manned helicopter as recited in  claim 15  wherein the nonhorizontal mounting surface further comprises a vertical mounting surface. 
     
     
       17. The manned helicopter as recited in  claim 15  wherein the nonhorizontal mounting surface forms an acute angle with a horizontal plane of the manned helicopter. 
     
     
       18. The manned helicopter as recited in  claim 15  wherein the turret device housing further comprises an outer surface contoured to form an aerodynamic apex of the nose assembly. 
     
     
       19. The manned helicopter as recited in  claim 15  wherein the nose fairing covers at least 30 percent of the turret device housing.